Improved horizontal water-wheel



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN K. ONEIL, OF KINGSTON, NET YORK.

IMPROVED HORIZONTAL WATER-WHEEL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 25,52l, dated September 20, 1859.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN K. ONEIL, of Kingston, in the county of Ulster and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Water-Wheel; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

Figure l is a vertical cent-ral section of the penstock and a side elevation of the water wheel or wheels; Fig. 2, a vertical section in the plane indicated by the line 0c 0c, Fig. l; Fig. 3, a plan thereof; Fig. 4, a horizontal section in the plane indicated by the line fy y, Fig. 1.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

I employ a Vertical cylindrical pensi-ook A, in which are arranged two wheels O D, revolving closely within the penstock and working together and in relation to each other and to the other parts connected therewith in the manner and for accomplishing such results as will be herein specified and distinguished:

The buckets c c c of the wheel C and d d cl of the wheel D are respectively secured to the outer peripheries of close cylinders, which fill a large portion (more or less) of the middle of the penstock, the cylinder of the lower wheel D being immediately beneath and concentric with that of the wheel-O and of the same diameter. Bothvwheels are secured to concentric shafts, the shaft G of the lower wheel D passing up through the hollow or tubular shaft I-I of the upper wheel O;p or, if the power derived from these wheels were to be applied at the bottom, then the shaft of the upper wheel would pass down through the shaft of the lower wheel. The buckets c c c of the upper wheel C are placed obliquely, so as to drive the wheel in one direction,while the buckets d CZ cl of the lower wheel D are placed obliquely in the reverse positions, so4

shafts by crossing one of the belts thereof, or the forces of the two vwheels may be applied to different machinery, if desired. The buckets of the respective wheels may be varied in inclination in respect to each other, or so as to cause their action to work harmoniously on the same machinery and also to insure aproper passage of the water through them without causinga choking or backwater action in either.

In combination with the above-described wheels and as essential to their proper action I employ immediately above the upper wheel C and below the lower wheel D concentric cylinders of the same (or nearly the same) size as the cylinders of the said wheels, either immovable and separate from said wheel-cylinders, as shown by the upper one B in the drawings, or revolving and forming a continuation of the wheel-cylinder, as at E in the drawings. At certain distances apart, as may be most desirable, are situated stationary partitions extending radially from the cylinders B and E outward to the interior surface of the penstock, said partitions being attached both to the penstock and cylinder if the latter is stationary, as at b h b in the drawings, or attached only to the penstock and reaching inward as near as practicable to the surface of the cylinder if the latter revolves with the wheel, as shown at g g g in the drawings. The effect in either case is the same-viz., to prevent the water acquiring a revolving motion with the wheels, so as to diminish its force thereon-since by this arrangement the water is forced to proceed directly downward as soon as it leaves the wheel above or immediately before it enters the wheel below. The upper cylinder B and partitions b h b are not of so great importance as those below the wheel D and might be dispensed with without injuring the good effects 'of the remainder of the device or combination.

Below the lower cylinder E and partitions g g g another water-wheel or set of buckets fff is added, as represented in the drawings, and, if desirable, another wheel might be employed below that, and so on, multiplying the wheels on concentric shafts to any number; bnt this would not be practicable or desirable to any considerable extent.

In order to cause the water to impinge and.

act on the second Wheel D in the most effectual manner, it is desirable not only to give the buckets d d d a proper inclination, but to curve the upper ends thereof nearly as indicated at 7L h h in Fig. l, whereby the m0- tion of the Water is less retarded than if it were to impinge more abruptly on the buckets.

Since lthe tendency of the Water is, by een, trifugal action, to rush toward the outer periphery of the Wheels or to the surface of the penstock, in order to counteract this I bend the outer edges of the buckets, as shown at e e e on the bucket cl d d, or, as accomplishing the same result, I incline the buckets from a radial position backward from the direction of their motion, as shown by the position of the buckets fff attic', Figs. 1 and 4.

The upper ends of the stationary partitions g g g may be bent somewhat as shown at lll for the purpose of receiving the Water from the Wheels in a proper manner.

That I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The arrangement of the guide-partitions b b g g, cylinders B E, Wheels C D, and Wheel or buckets f f, in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein specified.

In Witness that the above is a true specilication of my improved Water-wheel I hereunto set my hand this 28th day of February, 1859.

JGHN K. ONEIL.

Witnesses:

J. S. BROWN, G. BAILY, EDM. F. BROWN. 

